Basketball world reacts to Sabrina Ionescu's game-winning three in 2024 WNBA Finals

Liberty lead best-of-five series, 2-1

10/17/2024, 2:49 AM
Oct 16, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) celebrates her 3-point basket against the Minnesota Lynx during the second half of game three of the 2024 NBA Finals at Target Center. / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Oct 16, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) celebrates her 3-point basket against the Minnesota Lynx during the second half of game three of the 2024 NBA Finals at Target Center. / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

The New York Liberty are just one win away from their first WNBA Championship and that’s thanks to the heroics of Sabrina Ionescu.

The sharpshooting guard had the ball in her hands with less than 20 seconds remaining against the Minnesota Lynx in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals. With the score tied at 77 apiece, Ionescu played iso at the top of the key before she did her signature step-back three.

However, this shot was from the Lynx logo but it was not a problem for Ionescu who drained the shot and put the Liberty up by three points with a second to go.

“I didn’t really remember it. I had to look at the video real quickly and see how far I was,” Ionescu said after the game. “In the timeout, Sandy [Brondello] was like, ‘You’re going to shoot the shot.’ I feel like I was able to get a little separation in range. Get a really good shot to go. I let the shot clock wind down and got the space.”

After the Liberty defense ran out the clock, New York celebrated a hard-fought win in enemy territory.

It was an impressive performance for the Liberty who saw themselves down by as much as 15 points in the first half. But Breanna Stewart -- who had a game-high 30 points, 22 in the second half -- helped New York chip away until they had an opportunity to win in the final seconds.

Once Ionescu’s three went down, the basketball world lit up by how impressed they were by the shot.

The Liberty and Lynx will link up for Game 4 on Thursday night in Minnesota. One more win and New York will be champions.

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